Hook type sawmill log turner



May 20, 1952 1. L. HALE HOOK TYPE SAWMILL LOG TURNER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed June l'7, 1948 lulal llrll INVENTOR.

HALE ATTORNEY May 20, 1952 1. 1.. HALE 2,597,319

HOOK TYPE SAWMILL LOG TURNER INVENTOR.

IVAN L. HALE BY 4 ATTORNEY y 1952 l. L. HALE 2,597,319

HOOK TYPE SAWMILL LOG TURNER Filed June 17, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 M \x x,Flf L i INVENTOR. IVAN L. HALE B Q ATTORNEY Patented May 20, 1952UNITED STATE TENT QFFICE Claims This invention relates to log turnersand is D ticularly adapted to the smaller type of sawmill.

In the operation of my new and improved log turner, the log can bepushed off the deck on to the head blocks of the carriage with a simpleoperation, and at the same time causing a minimum of damage to thelumber.

My log turner is so designed as to be able to pull the log from the headblocks on to the log deck and reposition the log on the head blocksagainst the knees after the same has been turned.

My log turner is admirably adapted to be operated by mechanical means. I

The primary object of my invention is to provide a log turner for smallmills, or in many cases larger mill operations, that will push the logfrom the deck on to the head. blocks of the carriage requiring a minimumof power, due to the mechanical design of the turner.

Another object of my invention is th designing of a log turner that willnot only push the log on to the carriage from the log deck, but by asimple control mechanism will convert the turner into a hook arrangementfor turning the log back on to the log deck.

A still further object of my invention is the designing of a log turnerthat is completely surrounded within a master framework that can beinstalled with a minimum amount of effort, and that is rugged and rigidwithin itself.

Another object of my invention is to adapt a principle of mechanicsrequiring a minimum amount of power to exert the proper pressures forpushing the log on to the carriage from the log deck, and for turningthe log from thecarriage on to the said deck, all of this being done.

with a minimum of damage to the lumber.

And a still further object of my inventionis the provision of a simplecontrol mechanism for controlling the various operations of the, turnerby the operator.

These and other incidental object will be apparent in the drawings,specification and claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my new and improved log turner mounted to alog deck adjacent the head blocks of a conventional carriage. I

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1 of the deck,carriage and'my new and improved log turner mounted thereon.

Figure. 3 is an enlarged sectional end view of the. turner on line 3-3of Figure 2 illustrating thev method of mounting the same to the deck,and including the power means ofoperating the same. n

(or. DIS-r103) Figure 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken online 4-4 of Figure 2 illustrating part of the-mechanism for controllingthe various operations of the turner bar.

Figure 5is an enlarged detail sectional side view of the roller supportsfor the turner bar, parts broken away showing the bar operating gear.

' Referring more specifically to the drawings:

I have indicated a portion of a log deck consisting of the skids I,supported on the conventional cross framework 2 and under piling 3. Ihave also shown a portion of a conventional type of carriage 4 with theusual head blocks 5 and the knees 6.

My invention consists of the log turner assembly, generally indicated bynumeral 1, consisting of frame members 8 and 9 which are secured to theunderside of the deck skids l by any suitable means, as by bolts [9. Anoperating shaft II is journalled within bearings [2 associated with saidframe members and is driven by any suitable source of controlled motor,as for instance the steam or air engine [3. I do not wish to be limitedto any particular form of driving power as any approved power mechanismcan be em- "*'ployed as long as the same can be operated in eitherdirection.

Journalled to the shaft 1 I is. a guiding member l4 through whichisslidably mounted a beam l5,

0 which will be from here on called the turner "bar. The turner bar [5has a rack l6 forming part thereof, which engages the spur gear I1,which in. turn is keyed to the shaft H by the key [1A (Fig. 5). Byrotating the spur gear in 5 either direction, the turner bar I5 will bemoved through theguiding member M in the desired direction. The guidingmember I 4 may have roller associated therewith for contacting the topof the log turner bar [5 if So desired, but in 40 my drawings I havemerely illustrated the same as a plain guide member.

The Weight of the log turner bar I5. is taken by the rollers [8 whichare. journalled freely to the shaft H. This insures easy movement of thebar through the guide member l4 and a definite related clearance betweenthe rack 6 and the spur gear ll. I

Referring to Figure 2, I have illustrated three operations, first infull lines the inactive posi- .tionof the turner, while in thedottedlines I 'illustratethe turner pulling the leg from the head blocks5 of the carriage on to the deck, and witllthe broken lines. Iillustrate the log being pushed back on to the head blocks 5 afterthe'saine has been turned, or when a new log is being pushed in toplace. plished in the following manner.

A connecting rod or link 19 is pivotally mounted to the bar 15 at 20 atits one end, and is slidably mounted within the sleeve 2| at itsopposite end. The sleeve 2| has stub shafts 22 forming part thereof.These stub shafts extend through the bearings 23 which form part of theframe members 8 and 9. One of these stub shaft is cored out at 24 and isadapted to receive the locking plunger 25 which in turn is operated bythe lever 26 through the control rod 21, said control rod being operatedeither by foot pedal or lever action at the sawyers station. The lever26 is pivotally mounted to the bracket arm 28 and to the locking plunger25, the object and purpose of this mechanism will be explained later on.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, I will now describe the operation of mynew and improved log turner. In the event it is desired to push a logfrom the deck on to the head blocks of the carriage, the shaft H isrotated by the power unit l3 so as to revolve the spur gear I! in thedirection of the arrow Fig. 5. This pushes the rod l9 through the sleeve2| until the sawyer operates the control rod 21, lever 26 and thelocking plunger 25 so as to force the end 25A of the plunger against therod l9 within the sleeve 2|, preventing its movement therethrough.

This is accom- When this happens the rod l9 becomes dead.

ended forcing the turner bar l to the position illustrated by the brokenlines against the side of the log 30, indicated by broken lines, andafter the contact has been made with the log the sawyer releases hiscontrol permitting the rod l9 to slide within the sleeve 2|, the bar [5providing a straight push against the log. The bar can be retracted bythe shaft II and the spur gear l1, causing the bar to travel in theopposite direction of the arrow in Figure 2 to the position illustratedin full lines, Figure 2. A cross member 3| prevents the end 32 of thebar from dropping down below that shown in full lines.

I will now describe the operation of turning the log after it has beenon the carriage. The sawyer operates the control rod 21 and the lockingplunger 25, after the motor l3 begins to move the log turner bar IS inthe direction of the arrow Fig. 2, causing the bar to assume theposition indicated by the dotted lines extending clear over on to thecarriage on top of the log. The dotted lines in Figure 2 show the sameafter it has grabbed the log and pulled it part way over. After the barhas contacted the top of the log the sawyer releases the locking plunger25 permitting free movement of the rod I9, while the bar I5 is moved inthe opposite direction and pulls the log over by reversing the directionof the shaft II by reversing the power unit l3. When the log is turnedthe above described operation takes place relative to the broken linesin pushing the same back on to the head blocks on to the carriage.

Located on top of the skids adjacent the carriage are plates 33(referring to Figures 1 and 2). These plates are countersunk into theskidway as indicated at 35 and have a downwardly extending spindle 34,which is pivotally mounted within the skidway. The plates normally liein the position illustrated in Figure 1, and it will be noted in Figure2 that when the log is being turned, as indicated in the dottedposition, the corner 36 of the log will strike against the edge of theplate holding the same while being rolled onto the skids, and when thelog reaches the broken line position the plate will hold the sameslightly higher than the head blocks on the carriage, permitting theturner bar l5 to push the log over on to the head blocks.

In the event that it is desired to cut an extra heavy cant off the log,the plates 33 can be rotated to the dotted position illustrated inFigure1, giving clearance for the cant to operate over the skids. 1

What I claim is:

l. A log turner, comprising a frame, a power shaft mounted in the frame,a guide loosely mounted on the power shaft, a log turner bar mounted toreciprocate in the guide, a sleeve mounted in the frame, a link pivotedto the log turner bar at one end with its opposite end mounted to movein the sleeve, means for reciprocating the turner bar in the guide, andmeans for locking the sleeve and link together at different points inthe length of the link to alter the movement of the free end of theturner bar when shifting a log.

2. A log turner as defined in claim 1, wherein the shaft is providedwith a gear and the turner bar is provided with gear teeth which meshwith the gear.

3. A log turner as defined in claim 1, wherein the sleeve is providedwith hollow trunnions, a rod mounted to move in a hollow trunnion, andmeans to move the rod to impinge the link at any point in its length.

4. In combination a saw carriage, a frame mounted adjacent to the sawcarriage, a swinging and reciprocal log turner bar mounted in the frame,means mounted in the frame for swinging and reciprocating the log turnerbar, said means including a pinion journalled in said frame and a rackon the under surface of said bar engaging said pinion, a guide memberfor said bar mounted on said frame, rollers journalled in said guidemember on which the log turner bar is supported when reciprocating, andmeans pivotally connected at one end to the bar forwardly of the rackthereon and slidably connected at its opposite end to said frame foraltering the inclination of the log turning bar to engage a log atdifferent points and position.

5. The combination with a saw carriage and a frame mounted adjacent tothe saw carriage. a logturner bar mounted to rock on a fulcrum and slidein the frame, means to limit the rocking of the bar, means for slidingthe bar, anti-friction means between the bar and mount thereof, meansoperatively connected to the bar in front of the fulcrum thereof foraltering the angular position of the bar on its fulcrum at differentextended positions when slid in the frame, including a rod pivoted tothe bar, means to slidably and pivotally support the opposite end of therod, and means to hold the rod against sliding in its support to causethe bar to engage the log at different points.

IVAN L. HALE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 117,828 Stearns Aug. 8, 1871167,261 Knowlton Aug. 31, 1875 485,696 Hill Nov. 8, 1892 1,924,440 KiattAug. 29, 1933

